Valved drop forming stopper



Aug. 5, 1952 v. BALCAR vALvED DROP FORMING sToPPER Filed Deo. 13, 1946,

Gttor-negs l Patented Aug. 5, 1952 UNHTED STATES A'rEN'i'OFFICE'.A

VALVED DROP FORMING STOPPER Vojtch Balear, Prague-Smichov,Czechoslovakia Application December 13, 1946, Serial No., '716,057

The object of invention is a closure or stopper, which makes it possibleto empty the contents of a bottle in drops or in a continuous stream andmakes possible measuring of great accuracy. There are similararrangements e. g. stoppers grounded in the neck of the bottle whereinthe measuring mechanism is partly in the ystopper and partly in the neckof the bottle. But these stoppers have the following great disadvantage.

As the stopper is placed in the neck of the bottle, the axis of thestopper coincides with the axis of the neck and so it is possible thatwhen the bottle is tilted which is done to a great extent when measuringdoses, the stopper falls out of the bottle. 1

The object of invention is a dripping stopper, which solves andeliminates this disadvantage in a simple and original way. It makes anaccurate dosingin drops or the letting out of a stream of liquidpossible.

vIn the; drawingswhich illustrate a preferred stopper constructionembodying the invention, Fig. l is a View in vertical central section,and Fig.,2 is a View of the stopper in top plan with a portion of theupper end of the stopper bod broken away to show a featured detail.

Referring now to the drawings, the body I of the stopper includes alower cupped portion screw threaded atv la for screw threaded engagementupon the neck of the bottle (not shown) the contentsof which are tobe-dispensed by gravity iiow principles, and an. upper solid cylindricalportion Ib having a diametral tapered bore Ic extending transverselytherethrough. A pair of spaced passages Id, le extend longitudinallythrough central section lf of the stopper body from bore Ic` to thescrew-threaded interior lg.

A tapered plug 3 having a ground-in fit with bore Ic and rotatable aboutits longitudinal axis is provided with an axial passage 3a extendingfrom the dispensing end 3b of the plug which communicates with atransverse passage 3c leading to the exterior of the plug. Another axialpassage 3d extends from the opposite end 3e of the plug and communicateswith a second transverse passage 3f in the plug leading to the exteriorthereof at its side.

Intermediate the two passageways 3a, 3d, the plug 3 is provided with aperipheral groove 3g for receiving a ball type detent 4 that is urgedinto groove 3g by spring 5, the ball 4, spring 5 and plug 6 to retainspring 5 in place being received in a transverse bore Ih in the stopperbody that extends from its outer surface to the bore lc in alignmentwith groove 3g in the plug. Thus, plug 3 is free to rotate on its axis,but endwise 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-422) displacement thereof in bore'llc isresisted by the coaction'of the detent ball 4 and groove 3g.

Transverse passages 3c, 3f in plug 3 are so alignedrwith respect topassages ld, le in the stopper body Vthat whenlplug 3 is vfully insertedin the bore Ic, passage 3c will communicate with turning with thefingers and contains a socket threadedat 3h for receiving a. threadedairadjusting screw 1. The base of socket 3g is tapered at 3i to matchacomplementary taper la at the inner end of screw l so that when thelatter is screwed in or out of the socket, the spacing between the twotapered surfaces 3i, la, decreases or increases, respectively.

Screw 'I is also provided with a passageway 1b Y offset from the screwaxis and extending longitudinally from tapered end 'la tothe oppositeend surface of the plug, i. e. to atmosphere. Passage Sd in plug 3 leadstothe tapered base 3i of the socket. s

The manner of operation of the improved stopper is believed to beself-evident from the drawings but a brief summary will be conducive toa clear understanding of the invention. Y

The liquid contents' of the bottle cannot be delivered by gravity flowthrough outlet passage 3a. unless air is admitted into the bottle toreplace the liquid discharged. Hence by the simple expedient ofadjusting the rate at which air is admitted into the bottle through thestopperI the rate at which the contents are delivered through outlet 3a.will likewise be adjusted.

Control over the rate of airvadmission is obtained by manipulatingscrew 1. With the end 1a seated firmly against the tapered surface 3i,this being a ground fit, the inner end of passage 'lb is blocked off andno air can get through from atmosphere to the interior lg of the stopperand hence also the interior of the bottle. However by backing oi a turnor so on screw 1, a small space is established between the taperedsurfaces la, 32', thus allowing air to enter at a very low rate throughpassageways 1b, 3d, 3f and le which permits the contents of the bottleto be discharged through passages Id, 3c and 3a in a droplike manner ata, corresponding low rate, making it easy to measure the number of dropsdispensed. The discharge rate can be increased by backing off theadjusting screw 'I still further thus increasing the drop rate untilsubstantially a condition of continuous flow obtains.

The stopper is closed by screwing down on screw 1 until the taperedsurfaces 1a, 3i meet thus blocking on all admission of air through theseriately arranged air inlet passages. The stopper can also be closed"by slight rotation of plug 3. This not only blocks off the air inlet atpassage le but also the fluid outlet at passage ld.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is t0 be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is:

l. A dropper closure for bottles comprising a body portion having atransverse open-ended bore extending therethrough, spaced passages.extending through the body from the inner surface of the closure to saidbore. a rotary plug extending through said bore having a liquid outletpassage extending from one end thereof to communicate with one of thepassages through the body in one position of rotation of theplug, saidplug having a threaded socket at the other end thereof having a seatingsurface at the bottom thereof and a passageway leading axially from thebottom of said socket to communicate with the other passage through thebody in the aforesaid position of rotation of they plug and an adjustingscrew in said socket having a seating surface atV the inner end thereofcomplementary to the seating surface at the bottom of the socket andhaving an air inlet passage opening on said seating surface spaced fromthe axial center thereof.

2. A dispensing closure for bottles comprising a body portion having atransverse open-ended tapered bore extending therethrough, a pair ofspaced passages extending through the bodyl from the inner surface ofthe closure to said bore, a tapered rotary plug extending through saidbore having a liquid outlet passage extending from the small end thereofto communicate with one of said passages through the body in oneposition of rotation of the plug, a' threaded socket in the larger endof the plughavingaconical bottom seating surface and an airl passageleading axially from the conical bottom to communicate with the otherpassage through the body in the aforesaid position of rotation oftheplug and an air inlet shut oif and adjusting screw threaded into saidsocket having a conical end seating surface adapted for sealingengagement with the conical bottom of the socket and an excentricallydisposed air passage extending from said conical end surface to theouter end thereof.

3. A dispensing closure for bottles comprising a body portion having atransverse open-ended tapered bore extending therethrough, a pair ofspaced passages extending through the body from the inner surface of theclosure to said bore, a tapered rotary plug extending through said borehaving aV liquid outlet passage extending from the small end thereof tocommunicate with one of said passages through the body in oneposition-of rotation of the plug, a threaded socket in the larger end ofthe plug having a conical bottom seating surface and an air passageleading axially from the conical bottom to communicate with the otherpassage through the body'in the aforesaid position cf rotation of theplug, an air inlet shut off and adjusting screw threaded into saidsocket having a conical end seating surface adapted for` sealingengagement with the conical bottom of the socket and an excentricallydisposed air passage extending fromsaid conical end surface to the outerend thereof and means for retaining said-plug from endwise movement inand from said bore includ-V ing an annular groove in the surface'of saidplug and a spring pressed detent carried by the body portion eng-aged insaid groove.

VOJTCH BALCAR.

REFERENCESv CITED The following references are of record inA the file ofthis patent:

UNITED. STATESv .PATENTS

